Atascocita Forest - February 2019

THE

ATASCOCITA FOREST

VOL 3 ISSUE 02 | FEBRUARY 2019

ATASCOCITA FOREST COMMUNIT Y GA ZE T TE

THE OFFICIAL MONTHLY NEWSLETTER OF THE ATASCOCITA FOREST COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

NOTICE of 2019 ANNUAL MEETING of Atascocita Forest Community Association Please take notice that the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Members of Atascocita Forest Community Association (the “Association”), a Texas non-profit corporation, will be held on February 11, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. at the Atascocita Forest C.A. Pool 17415 Woodland Hills Drive, Humble, Texas 77396. The meeting will be held for the following purpose: Election of two (2) Trustees for a three (3) year term.

If you would like to run for an open Trustee position, please submit your name to the Association, and your name will be placed on the ballot at the 2019 Annual Meeting. For your name to be on the ballot at the annual meeting, all nominations must be received

by January 21, 2019 by 5:30 p.m. You may (1) mail to: Atascocita Forest Community Association c/o Community Asset Management (“CAM”), 9802 FM 1960 Bypass-W, Suite 210, Humble, Texas 77338, or (2) email to pvalentine@cam-texas.com.

If your nomination is received timely, your name will be placed on the ballot.

Your input is important to the Association, and we urge you to attend the 2019 Annual Meeting. On the other hand, by a later mailing all members will receive a proxy form for them to use if they cannot attend the meeting. The sole purpose of the proxy is to allow their vote to still count if they are unable to attend the Annual Meeting.

Should you have any questions regarding the Annual Meeting, please do not hesitate to contact CAM at (281) 852-1155. Thank you, in advance, for your continued interest and support of Atascocita Forest Community Association.

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ATASCOCITA FOREST IMPORTANT NUMBERS EMERGENCY NUMBERS EMERGENCY.................................................................911 Harris County Animal Control........................ 281-999-3191 Poison Control................................................. 800-222-1222 NON-EMERGENCY NUMBERS Pct 4 Constable Non-Emergency Dispatch...... 281-376-3472 Atascocita Volunteer Fire Dept......................... 281-852-2181 Harris County Precinct 4................................. 281-376-3472 Texas No Call List Registration................... 866-TXN-OCAL Emergency Roadside Assistance........................ 800-525-5555 SCHOOLS Humble ISD.................................................... 281-540-1775 Whispering Pines Elementary........................... 281-641-2500 Humble Middle School.................................... 281-641-2500 Humble High School....................................... 281-641-6300 UTILITY NUMBERS Report Power Outage - Centerpoint................. 713-207-7777 Report Street Light Outage - Centerpoint........ 713-207-2222 Report Gas Leak - Centerpoint........................ 713-659-2111 Centerpoint (Gas)............................................ 713-659-2111 Call Before You Dig..........................................................811 Water - SiEnvironmental.................................. 832-490-1600 Emergency Number...................................... 832-490-1601 Electricity - Multiple Providers..........www.powertochoose.org Trash - RR&R of Texas.................................... 866-516-9805 MUD District ......................www.TrailoftheLakesMUD.com PUBLIC SERVICES Humble Post Office.......................................... 281-540-1775 DPS Office....................................................... 281-446-3391 Harris County Clerk (Will Clayton Pkwy.)...... 281-540-1173 NEIGHBORHOOD MANAGEMENT Community Asset Management www.CommunityAssetManagement.com Pam Valentine...................................pvalentine@cam-texas.com ATASCOCITA FOREST COMMUNITY ASSOC. Email the Board............................ board@atascocitaforest.org Website Questions/Problems....... website@atascocitaforest.org Newsletter questions................newsletter@atascocitaforest.org HOA BOARD MEMBERS Norman Laskie - President......... norman@atascocitaforest.org Kesha Stubblefield - Vice President....kesha@atascocitaforest.org Troy King - Treasurer........................ troy@atascocitaforest.org Lauren Shwarts - Secretary............lauren@atascocitaforest.org Tomasina Sampa - Director...... tomasina@atascocitaforest.org

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Acupuncture By: Yunguang Yang (Lily), Licensed Acupuncturist & Herbalist, MAOM, Dipl. O.M. (NCCAOM) Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are safe, effective and drug-free options for the treatment of most non-emergency medical conditions. Whether you’re new to acupuncture or have years of experience, acupuncture can help your general health.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a form of treatment involving the use of very fine filiform needles that are inserted into certain specific points of the body.

This stimulates the body to increase circulation and activate the body's own natural healing process. Acupuncture can be used to treat a wide range of conditions and illnesses and is a wonderful option when western medication does not work or is not tolerated.

What to expect?

Acupuncturists often use additional techniques, such as tui-na, cupping and moxibustion, in conjunction with acupuncture. Tui-na is a form of Chinese manipulative therapy, consisting of massage, acupressure and other forms of body manipulation. It works by applying pressure to acupoints, meridians and muscles or nerves to remove blockages that prevent free flow of Qi (energy) through the body. Cupping involves the use of glass globes placed on the body to create a suction effect. The vacuum effect that draws up the skin is believed to open up the skin’s pores to stimulate the blood flow to the muscles, balance and realign the flow of Qi. Cupping may result in small, circular bruises in the area where the cups were applied, but these bruises are usually painless and disappear within a few days after the treatment. You may have seen these cupping marks on the back of the Chinese Olympic swimmer Wang Qun at the Beijing Olympics in 2008! Finally, moxibustion is a traditional therapy that involves the burning of moxa made from dried mugwort, a soft and wooly herb, to penetrate to a deeper level of the body. Moxibustion has been used throughout Asia for thousands of years; in fact, the actual Chinese character for acupuncture, translated literally, means “acupuncture-moxibustion”.

What about herbal medicine?

Chinese herbal medicine refers to the use of a plant’s seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark or flowers for medicinal purposes. Traditionally, this involves formulating a mixture of various herbs to create a formula based on a patient’s specific needs. These herbs can be taken in the form of herbal tea after boiling the herbs in hot water to extract the active ingredients.

Although herbal medicine is still widely used and available, formulations in the form of tablets or capsules are more convenient and have become more popular these days.

What conditions can be treated?

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is most commonly used to treat pain caused by various illnesses such as arthritis, bursitis, fibromyalgia and PMS. It can be very effective for treating migraine, back pain, neck pain, frozen shoulder and sciatica. Acupuncture can also achieve good results when treating stress related problems such as insomnia, anxiety and depression. It is an effective way to treat substance abuse, reduce substance dependencies (e.g. pain killers) or help you to quit smoking or reduce weight. Acupuncture may also be used as an adjunct to physical rehabilitation or surgical intervention to hasten functional recovery. Talk to your licensed Acupuncturist about what acupuncture and TCM can do for you. Please refer to the Classical Ads of this newsletter for our detailed information or visit www.amaranthacupuncture.com.

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The Right Start: Taking A Hard look at Preschools and Daycares

by Sugandha Jain

Most parents think they can spot a poor quality preschool or childcare center. But the fact is, parents are woefully in the dark when it comes to making this kind of judgment.

“Parents cannot assess quality directly,” says Dr. Suzanne Helburn, Professor Emerita of Economics at the University of Colorado, Denver and co-author of the book America’s Child Care Problem.

“So [some things] are subject to cost cutting strategies by providers whose quality looks good to parents, but who skimp on practices that affect quality that parents cannot readily observe.”

Studies by both the RAND corporation and the Cost and Quality Project bear this out. Both studies found that parents tended to overestimate the quality of care at daycare centers. Indeed, in the Cost and Quality Project study, many parents rated their child’s daycare or preschool as “very high” quality. But when trained observers rated the same centers, the results were “poor” or “mediocre”.

That’s because a typical parent judges a daycare center or preschool on whether the site is safe, clean, and in their budget rather than on how well the center provides emotional care and intellectual stimulation.

To figure that out, you have to look at the staff. And that’s the place most centers skimp.

Before enrolling your child in any daycare center or preschool, you should ask how much education the teachers have, how long they’ve been with the school or center, and how much they are paid.

It’s also important to know whether the center offers health care or other benefits to its staff. If most of the tuition is being used to pay staff salaries and benefits, then the program is likely to attract and retain qualified staff.

Licensing vs. Accreditation Once you’ve determined whether a preschool or daycare center has educated, well paid teachers, you should ask about its accreditation.

A lot of childcare centers will tout the fact that they are “licensed.”

This doesn’t mean anything.

“Licensing of child care is a foundation, and basically it is a permission to operate,” says Dr. Diane Adams, a senior lecturer and project manager at the Wisconsin Child Care Research Partnership.

“Licensing is not the same as meeting high quality standards, such as accreditation.”

(Continued on Page 6)

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ATASCOCITA FOREST At no time will any source be allowed to use Atascocita Forest's contents, or loan said contents, to others in anyway, shape or form, nor in any media, website, print, film, e-mail, electrostatic copy, fax, or etc. for the purpose of solicitation, commercial use, or any use for profit, political campaigns, or other self amplification, under penalty of law without written or expressed permission from Peel, Inc. The information in Atascocita Forest is exclusively for the private use of the Atascocita Forest HOA and Peel, Inc. DISCLAIMER: Articles and ads in this newsletter express the opinions of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Peel, Inc. or its employees. Peel, Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy of any facts stated in articles submitted by others. The publisher also assumes no responsibility for the advertising content with this publication. All warranties and representations made in the advertising content are solely that of the advertiser and any such claims regarding its content should be taken up with the advertiser. * The publisher assumes no liability with regard to its advertisers for misprints or failure to place advertising in this publication except for the actual cost of such advertising. * Although every effort is taken to avoid mistakes and/or misprints, the publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors of information or typographical mistakes, except as limited to the cost of advertising as stated above or in the case of misinformation, a printed retraction/correction. * Under no circumstances shall the publisher be held liable for incidental or consequential damages, inconvenience, loss of business or services, or any other liabilities from failure to publish, or from failure to publish in a timely manner, except as limited to liabilities stated above.

(Continued from Page 4) When it comes to early childhood education, the gold standard is accreditation by the NAEYC. The NAEYC requires accredited centers and preschools to adhere to strict quality guidelines. The list is long and involved, and includes everything from low childto-teacher ratios, age-appropriate curriculum, suitable furnishings, and even what kind of food can be served to children. Schools that receive NAEYC accreditation demonstrate to parents that they strive to provide a high quality environment for children.

Check ’Em Out It goes without saying that you should visit a daycare center or preschool before placing your child in it. But dispassionately evaluating a center can be nearly impossible for most parents.

“Selecting a child care center is very much like the process of selecting a college for a graduating senior,” says Dr. Adams, “except not nearly enough comparative information is available.”

For this reason, parents can be easily wowed by things like classroom activities or worksheets. To avoid this, ask what a typical day looks like for the children—and how much time teachers have to prepare and plan for it. Also take a good, long look around: What are the kids on the playground doing? What are the teachers doing? How are children engaged in learning?

(Continued on Page 7)

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ATASCOCITA FOREST (Continued from Page 6) “A daycare [or preschool] should be a vibrant, lively place, and children should be talking, laughing and having fun,” says Chris Van Deusen of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. “However, it shouldn’t be chaotic—the adults should be running the place, and it should be clear who is in charge.”

Once you’ve chosen a reliable preschool or daycare center, stop by periodically during the day—unannounced—to ensure that your child is being well cared for (reject centers or preschools that do not allow you to pop in whenever you want). If you notice anything amiss, you should immediately report it to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Choosing a good daycare center or preschool is a lot of work.

And, in the end, you get what you pay for.

“In 1985, I chose to drive a 10-year-old car so I could pay a little more for child care tuition,” says Dawn Leach, director of the Austin Community College Children’s Lab School. “I have never regretted that choice.”

Sugandha Jain is the Educational Director of The Goddard School.

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National Time Management Month Time is one of life’s most valuable possessions, as it is something you can never get back. Subsequently, one of the most essential life skills to master is time management. After all, time management is really life management. Learning how to make every day count for something is the objective. But it takes ridding your life of procrastination and a great deal of self-discipline.

Mastering time management does more than just increase productivity.

It can yield important health benefits as well. When time is managed wisely, it minimizes stress and improves the overall quality of your life.

Lay the foundation for effectively managing your time.

Delegating the appropriate amount of time to get adequate sleep, maintain a healthy diet and exercising regularly are all essential elements to improve both focus and concentration. Making the time to create a healthy lifestyle will help improve your efficiency throughout the day, allowing for more time to complete other tasks.

Identify and evaluate how you are currently spending your time.

If you drive to work, how do you pass the time during your commute?

How many audiobooks or language tapes could you have completed while in traffic last month?

These are the best times throughout your day to incorporate all those little things that you “wished” you had time for. Over time, these habits become a lifestyle, and you will find yourself well ahead of the pack.

Tracy Montgomery Cell: 713.825.5905

Say no to nonessential tasks and prioritize the ones of extreme value.

Consider your goals and look at your schedule before agreeing to take on more work. If a task is time consuming but not necessarily important to the main goal, pass it off or add it to the bottom of the list.

Dedicate time blocks and limit distractions.

Everyone has a place where they work the most effectively. Some people love to have music in their earbuds, while others need complete silence.

Some people can work just as efficiently from their dining table as they can in a library cubicle. Wherever that place is, utilize it. Turn the television off, silence the cell phone, put away the tablet and dedicate complete focus to the task at hand. No responding to texts, no browsing the web.

When you operate your life in a healthy, organized fashion, and are able to execute daily tasks efficiently, stress is reduced, productivity increases and overall satisfaction manifests.

Never hesitate to take a break if needed.

Everyone gets worn out from time to time and piling on more and more tasks leads to stress that will simply derail you from the mission at hand.

Take a walk, go to the gym, get some fresh air or take that sick day you’ve been holding out on. Sometimes all we need is a moment of clarity and solitude to clear our overworked minds and recharge our bodies to give us that next big push.

After all, time management is really life management.

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